make a mountain out of a molehill

短语

夸大其词,大惊小怪,庸人自扰,小题大作

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词形变化

made a mountain out of a molehill makes a mountain out of a molehill 三单 makes a mountain out of a molehill making a mountain out of a molehill making a mountain out of a molehill 现在分词 made a mountain out of a molehill 过去式 made a mountain out of a molehill 过去分词

释义与例句

v.
  1. 1.

    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

    小题大作

    习语 及物

    If you’re stuck in traffic, try not to make a mountain out of a molehill worrying about it too much. You could be making it much worse.

    1573, John Bridges, The Supremacie of Christian Princes Over All Persons Throughout Theor Dominions, London: Humphrey Toye, Division 18, p. 553, to slaunder the Gospell ye aggrauate many lies, & will make a mountaine of a mole hill

    1642, James Howell, Instructions for Forreine Travell, London: Humphrey Mosley, Section 14, p. 176-177, Others have a custome to bee always relating strange things and wonders, […] they make Mountaines of Mole-hils, like Charenton-Bridge-Eccho, which doubles the sound nine times.

    1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin, John Smith, Volume 3, Book 15, Chapter 10, pp. 170-171, For of all the Powers exercised by this Passion over our Minds, one of the most wonderful is that of supporting Hope in the midst of Despair. […] Yet it is equally true, that the same Passion will sometimes make Mountans of Mole-hills, and produce Despair in the midst of Hope;